Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Add to that the fact that I have four young children and lack a nanny and a maid, and you will realize that I'm a bit hard up for entertainment. I suppose that's why I found this funny.

You see, I washed my husband's Carhartts yesterday. He had thoughtfully rinsed them out in the utility sink so that my washer would be spared the manure, mud, and cow afterbirth that were caked onto them. I threw them in the washer and then transferred them to the dryer. I noticed some straw that remained in the washer, so I vacuumed that out. I visited with another ranch wife today and discovered that I'm not the only woman in the world who has ever had to vacuum out the washing machine. But I digress.

After I opened up the dryer this morning and hung the bibs up on the hook, I instinctively removed the lint screen to clean it before the next load. My feet were instantly showered with bits of straw. And there, stuck to the middle of the screen, was a rubber ring. It was one of those moments when I realize that only a country wife would have such an experience. My mother probably saw these quite frequently in her washer and dryer. We used them to dock the tails of our lambs. Here in cattle country, they have another purpose. Because I am so generous, I'm sharing my laugh of the day with those of you who will never have to find the tools of calf elastration in your lint screen.

You're welcome.

By the way, Thursday will be Q&A day. I already have a fair collection of questions, but if you have something you'd like to ask me, this is your chance! Just click on "Comments" below to post your question.

14 comments:

Came across your site this morning. Wanted to say "Hey"! We have a lot in common. We farm and have cattle also. My three kids have a cattle blog kidscattle.blogspot.com. Will check in on ya now and again.

Wow that is crazy!! I have never vacuumed out my washer but I did vacuum out my tub today!! I don't know how they get so dirty!! Men! I love the fruit loop in there too! Was that a snack he had in his pocket? LOL!! Great Pics!!

I actually knew what the green ring was! When I was growing up we raised sheep too. We called those green rings elasticators and we used them both to dock tails of all the lambs and castrate the males.

LOL! My dryer vent has actually looked like that. We use those green bands on the goats here. Sometimes on horns, sometimes for the other purposes. And I've vacuumed out the washer too.. Have you ever hung jeans on the line and found baler twine still shoved in them? I guess better there then tangles in the washers mechanisms... :-)